The Freeport girls cross country team has advanced out of regionals the past three years, but last year may have been their most impressive run.

That’s because they did it without their top runner in Ellie Willging, who had suffered a hip injury.

This year she’s back, which bodes well for the Pretzels at Saturday’s Class 2A Sterling Regional.

“I’m excited to get a chance to run,” said Willging, who won last week’s individual NIC-10 title while her team took fifth.

The Pretzels will have to contend with a strong regional field that has Belvidere, Belvidere North, DeKalb, Dixon, Marengo, Rochelle, Boylan and Sterling.

“It’s a tough one,” Freeport coach Alan Greene said. “We have to run well to get out.”

Behind Willging, Greene will rely on runners Haley Grunewald, Aria Schrader and Allyson Hayner. Top newcomers Mady Folgate, Emily Hayner and Kyla Wilcox might be given an opportunity to run the regional as well. That trio ran at the conference meet last Saturday, with Wilcox taking 15th, while Folgate took 36th and Hayner was 40th.

On the boys side, the team is also looking to return to sectionals. Last year, the boys placed fifth at regionals.

Christian Wilks, who finished 26th at the conference meet, leads the Pretzels.